Variable gear



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N. WEBSTER VARIABLE GEAR 2 sheets-smet 1 Dec. 18, 1923. l

` N. WEBSTER VARIABLE GEAR Filed May '7. 1923, 2 sheets-sheet 2 Ww@ @y f M '-flwmfv Patented Dec. 18, 1 923.

NORMAN WEBSTER, OF MOORTOWN, LEEDS, ENGLAND,

intacta ASSIGNOR T0 PHILIPSON AND COMPANY LIMITED, OF BOLTON', LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

vARIABLn GEAR.

Application ledMay 7, 1923. Serial No. 637,130.

To all whom t may concern@ Be it known thatcI, N oRMAN'WEesTnR, 0fl

3 Valley Terrace, Moortown, Leeds, in the county of York, lilngland, ave invented Gears V(for .which IV have filed an application in Great Britain, Feb. 14, 1922), of which the following description,4 together with the accompanying sheets rof ravvings, is a specification. A Y

My invention relates to variable gea-r devices of the type wherein V pulleys are used in conjunction with a V belt, the flanges of the V pulleys being capable of expansicnor contraction -to allow the belt to run on a 4 larger or smaller diameter `'thereof as may be necessary in order to obtain the various ratios between the driving pulley and the driven pulley to bring about the required speeds as is well known. lThe object of this invention is the provision of means or mechanism whereby many such ratios may be readily obtained bythe simple movement of a lever or the like situated in a convenient positionon the frame of the car orcycle to enable said lever to be readily manipulated.

by'these improved devices I am oreover also enabled to accomplish ythese rchanges p with very little Wear to the parts .or mechanism employedgand to silently. To attain these objects I make use of two V pulleys one of .which is the driving pulley and the other the driven pulley and over each pulley passes` a correspondingly shaped belt and between which pulleys Y1s a friction wheel or roller'that transmits or helps to 'transmit the power from one pulley y to the otherI and also ctions as a means of varying the Vpath of the belt contacts on the said pulley. In order that my said invention may be readily understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof, to which by figures Vand letters, reference is made in the following statement Fig. l is asectional side elevation of my improved gear.

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.

Fig. 3 shows a front view of a modification of one part thereof.

effect the changesv f vequal to the width of the belt. tion wheel C -moving the wheel C in the direction of the Similar figures and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In carrying `my invention into eii'ect l mount upon the engine shaft of the machine a V pulley A which comprises a fixed flange 0:1 and a slidable. flange a2, the latter being provided with a sleeve which takes over the boss a3. A castle nut or the like a4 a3 and against this takes a spring a5 the other end thereof abutting the outer face of the slidable flange a2. just sufficient strength to ensure the transmissionof power as hereinafter explained but allows the flange a2 to be moved or slid upon the boss a3 when this movement is desired as is explained later.

In any suitable position on the framework of the machine I mount a V pulley B consisting of a fixed flange b1 and a slidable flange '62. The fixed flange b1 is mounted upon an appropriate ball `race b3 and upon the boss 64 of this flange b1 the. sleeve of the slidable flange b2 is situated. A spring 65 is inserted between the castle nut or like device b and the outer face of the flange b and thus tends always to retain the flanges in their closed position.

Between the two pulleys. A B mounted on a lever d or other device as may be found desirable or more convenient isy a friction wheel or roller C which makes contact with the `V face of both pulleys in such manner that the width of the contacting part 01 is The fricperforms a dual function; by

arrow the flange b2 of the pulley Z) is moved awa from the contiguous flange 61 and the Viiange a2 is allowed under the force of the spring a4 to close towards the fixed flange al so that the force on the two sliding flanges a2 and b2 is always suliicient to ensure that the belt and the friction wheel C will be gripped with adequate pressure to cause the transmission of power from one pulley to the other to be effected in the required manner.

It will be observed that the diameter of the belt contacting surface of either `of the pulleys a or b at any time is equal to the diameter of the friction wheel contacting surface of that pulley at that time in all circumstances or in all ositions that the wheel C may occupy. his causes the speeds ot the contacting surfaces of the wheel C and the belt to be the same or very nearly the same so that they both tend to drive the pulley Z) at the same speed. In order that the belt and the wheel C may be subject to the same or approximately the same pressure of contact by the flanges of the two V pulleys I may construct the wheel c in two parts as shown in Fig. l and insert between them a spring c2 of sufiicient strength to allow for any slight diiference in such pressure as might otherwise exist.

Upon the boss La of the pulley A I mount a ring as which is provided with a ball race and the ring is such that when the flange a2 al to its extreme .is moved :ti-om the Harige position by the corresponding raising or movement of the wheel c then the belt rests upon the ring a which allows same to be' stationary and thus no drive is transmitted from the belt to the pulley B. Also in this extreme position oi' the wheel C said wheel is `inst clear of the flanges of the ball B which flanges on the limit of their approach allow this slight clearance as will be understood by reference to Fig. l.

The action is as follows l. Suppose the engine to be running freely thenthe belt will be resting upon the ring a and no motion will be given thereto.` This is the position when the wheel C is slightly raised Jr'rom that shown by Fig. l. The saidv wheel C is nowclear of the pulley B but is being driven by the pulley A. By providing the wheel C withtee'th or projections G3 'I may it desired very conveniently arrange a ball bearing roller, wheel or drum 6 as shown' be caused to en-Y` by Fig. 2 so that this may gage with the belt and depress same into contact with the wheel C which would then transmit motion thereto and drive the pulley B in a reverse direction. When it is desired to put the pulley B into gear for a forward direction the wheel C is moved in a direction away from the pulley A and towards the pulley B, the flange a2 closing and the flange Z22 opening and allowing the belt to assume ldie necessary position that the driving thereofmay be effected. By moving the wheel C further in the said direction the ratio oi' the diameters of the belt contacting parts of the pulleys A and B is further modified or changed and a still higher gear is obtained. A still further movement brings the wheel C into such a position to give the highest gear as will be understood. It will be observed that as the sliding flanges of the pulleys A'and B are situated obliquely or on opposite sides 'of the belt the alignment or engage said grooves,

centralization of the various moving parts is assured. Instead ofpobtaining the reverse drive of the pulley B in themanner aforesaid I may employ any other means for example I may employ an intermediate wheel to be inserted between the wheel VC and the pulley B when these latter are out of enagement.

The lever d is of any appropriate character. and is connected and., actuated in any suitable manner according'to the machineto 'which itrhas to be fitted. Y

I wish it to be understood that although I Y have describedmyimproved gear as a plied to a motor cycle or car it may be app ied to many other machines' wherein this type of gearing is present lor which" may be employed. Y y y Y Such being the nature and objectv of my said invention that what I claim is l. Ina variable speed mechanism, the combination of two expanding pulleys having peripheral grooves, a drive'belt connecting said pulleys, anda wheel between said pulleys adapted to operatively engage said grooves. Q

42. In a variable speed mechanism, the

y combination of two expanding vpulleys having peripheral grooves, a drive belt connecting said pulleys and an expansible wheel between said pulleys adapted to `operatively engage said grooves.

3. In a variable 4'speed mechanism, the

combination of two expanding pulleys having peripheraly grooves, a drive belt connecting said pulleys, an -expansiblev wheel between said pulleys adaptedV to operatively engage said grooves, and means `for regulating thel rictional engagement of said wheel relative -to each of said pulleys whereby different ratios ot drive may be obtained.

4. In variable Aspeed mechanism, the

combination oftwoexpanding pulleys having `peripheral grooves, a drive'beltf connectingsaid pulleys, an expansible wheel between said' pulleys adapted to operatively and means Vassociated with said wheel for uniformly vdistributing pressure on the drive beltv and wheel.

5. In a variable speed mechanism, the

combination of twoexpanding vpulleys having peripheral grooves, a

ndrive belt connecting said pulleys, an expansible wheel between said pulleys adapted "to operatively engage said grooves, Vandmeans associated with one of said pulleys for causing the belt to run idle. n y

6. In a variable speed mechanism, the combination of two expanding pulleys having peripheral grooves, a drive belt connecting said pulleys, an expansible wheel lbetween said pulleys adapted to joperatively engage said grooves, means for regulating the frictional engagement of saidwheel relative to each of said pulleys whereby different ratios of drive may be obtained, a ring associated with one of said pulleys, a ball race on said ring,

one of its extreme positions.

In testimony I have signed my name to and means for causing the Y 5 belt to run idle when the Wheel is moved to this speocation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORMAN WEBSTER. Witnesses:

ERNEST HEY,

. OPENSHAW. 

